Roadside assistance

I camped a few miles up into the foothills last night to get a different view of the city and some profound stillness. Woke up once when wayne showed up to check on me. The second time was when mutt began to growl that deep warning that still surprises me to hear. 

Because I was so far away from anyone or anything, I never put up my reflectix or shut my curtains...better to see the sunrise. At mutt's warning, I surfaced from my comforter to see a guy walking around the van. Now it's odd enough to see somebody out here in the middle of nowhere, but this guy is wearing a shirt and tie and has a jacket of some sort thrown over his shoulder. He proceeds to walk away from the van and head west down the gravel road towards pahrump.

I'm parked on a side trail into the desert. There are no cars around, and there is room to get around me, so I can't be parking the guy in. I watch the guy disappear down into the valley, then curl up to sleep a little longer.

When I get up again a while late, I decide to drive a little further up to the canyon and take some pictures. That's when I discover the flat tire.

I was a little annoyed, but i've been paying for AAA Premier and haven't had a service call for over a year, so that's a good thing. I have sunshine, cel service, all the comforts of home, and no place I have to be. Life is good :-)

The conversation with AAA was cute, though. No street address in the middle of the desert. Cross street? I tell her. How far? About 3 miles away. She then wanted to know all about the vehicle. She seemed worried that they would get the wrong one. I assured her I was the only vehicle within almost 3 miles, and with the orange kayak on the roof they could just about spot me from Death Valley. Turns out i'm talking to a dispatcher from the mid-atlantic region, and she has to patch me through to the dispatcher in nevada. There are very few places on the east coast that are 3 miles from anything, unless you've been out here to experience it, the solitude is hard to imagine.

The tow truck got here really fast. After some bungee cord drama, he changed my tire and I washed my hair by a creosote bush. I am now off to get the tire repaired and find a less complicated bungee cord arrangement on the baby hitch haul....

Photos are of the view from my campsite. 

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